My Lady Forever
by Hecoand
Summary: What If Haze was the one accompanying Lora during her last moments? Spoilers for Torna, the golden Country.


Spessia. A relatively small titan located south of the world tree, with its current neighbors being the trade guild of Argentum, led by chairman Don Dondon, and Indol, led by Preator Rhadallis. Well, that's what we had thought.

"Are you sure Lora? I don't like this one bit." Jin's voice was filled with worry, the masked blade overlooking the milita's camp. The aftermath of the battle with Malos and fall of Torna because of it, left everyone disheartened. My Lady nodded with a smile while looking down at little Mikhail.

"Don't worry Jin. If there is a blade attack, Haze can just shut them down. Right?" She turned back to face me, a sense of pride swelling

in my core. She was counting on me. I couldn't and wouldn't fail her.

"Of course My Lady! Leave all ether related matters to me!" I bounced both of my fists near my chin, ready to help out My Lady however she needed.

"Perfect! Now Jin… I want you to take Mikhail and go down to meet the militia." As she spoke, I noticed her unclip the medal on her chest. It was the one she'd gotten when she was knighted as a Tornan driver and the proof of her relationship to Addam. She held it out to Jin expectantly. He frowned at it but accepted the medal reluctantly.

"Haze. Take care of Lora. And yourself. You both come back here." His words were cold, but there was no hiding the warm in their meaning. With how long I'd known him, I truly understood how much he cared. My Lady smiled and nodded, making a small gesture for me follow her. Which I did, giving a quick bow to Jin and patting Mikhail's head. The child quickly hugged me in response.

"Now, now Mik. I will be back in just a minute," I said, smiling as the silent boy took a few steps back and nodded. I quickly ran back to My Lady's side and into the forest. On our way back to where Jin had heard the noise, we ran into some mercenaries from the camp. They had blades of their own, and were also on patrol to see what the noise was. It seemed to be abnormal since their emergency departure from Torna.

"Torna. It's... a shame it sunk," I heard My Lady mumble, putting her hands over her chest and lowering her head. Softly, I put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly.

"You did your best, My lady. We all tried our best. It just… wasn't enough. But Sir Addam will make this right. I am sure of it." My words seemed to put her at ease, as she looked up at me with her usual energetic smiled. With a nod we kept searching the woods, the mercenaries just ahead of us. I was confident in our capabilities and strengths. And we had a whole group of mercenaries with us! Not only was this going to be simple, but Lady Lora will see I can be just as strong as Jin! "Let us go then! After you My Lady." I bowed softly, earning a giggle out of my driver as she stepped out of the woods.

And as soon as she did, a scream filled the air. I barely had time to look up from my bow when a loud explosion rang in my ears. Dust and dirt flew up into the air as I rushed to My Lady's side. "W-what are those? T-Titan weapons? And..!" I barely had time to notice the huge, disgusting monsters before I was grabbed by the arm and pushed back into the forest. Another loud explosion shook the ground next to us, an entire tree crashing down where we had once stood. "M-y Lady! Wh-where are we-"

"The camp. We need to evacuate! We have absolutely no chance against these things! Come on Haze! Let's go!" I heard the panic in her voice. It was so uncharacteristic of her. My own stomach started to twist and turn in worry. But she was right. We needed to hurry!

I focused and started running alongside her, holding onto my staff for dear life as screams of death and explosions filled my ears. The crushing steps of the titan weapons loud and unforgiving, trees toppling over and being devastated. Lives were ending all around them. Who orchestrated this attack? Who would want this?

Suddenly a huge tree fell down in our path, forcing us to take a detour that lead straight to some indolian monks. They were stealing fallen cores off the bodies of the fallen mercenaries. "M-My Lady! This.. Did the Preator order such an act?'' I looked back at my driver, seeing her bite her lip with worry. Before she could answer my question though, someone kicked me square in the back. Tumbling forward, I landed face first into the dirt.

"Haze! Who dares-?" I couldn't quite see what happened, but I heard one of the monks groaning in pain as My Lady helped me back up. I rubbed my face, the pain of both the kick and the fall still throbbing.

"Ah.. Tornan driver with a mahogany haired blade. Preator Amalthus desires an audience with y-" The man didn't even finished his sentence before My Lady's boot connect with his face. This alone was enough to make me understand the danger.

"Never! You won't take us in! Swift gale!'' I slashed my cross twice, blowing away the monks in front of our escape route. We quickly started running again, doing our best to avoid the monks at all costs. Surely by now we weren't far from camp! We were going to be f-

"My lady? Why are you stopping?" I barely had time to look back before I watched a titan weapon's shot pierce through branches and land right into my driver's stomach. Suddenly everything was in slow motion. Her pained scream echoed in my ears as she was blown back from the shot, splatters of blood flying out of her mouth as she landed on her back hard. The thud resonated in my ears as I slowly registered what had happened.

"M… M… M-MY LADY! NO! LORA!" I ran up to her, my body stiff and shaking from the shock. This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening! Quickly, I need to find shelter…! Ah! There! As swiftly as I could, I dragged My Lady's body under the rocks with me and into the small cavern, laying her on her back gently. The monk's footsteps thudded across the ceiling as they walked over us.

"H..Haze.." My teary eyes snapped back to meet my driver's gaze.

"P-please My Lady. Don't force yourself. I... I can heal you!" I told her with a shaky smile, using my cross and sliding it over her body. Her outfit was torn in the center, and her stomach looked... It was a mess. But I could heal it! I am sure I of it!

"I-... Haze... I am so sorry... I neglected you for so long..." What was she saying? Why was she speaking like it was her final words?

"My Lady please... Stop. Let me..." Why? Why couldn't I focus? Why wouldn't the ether bend to my will? Why? WHY?

"I… I should of given you more time... I just... I am so so sorry… Haze… I hope that your next driver d-does n-not have... n-ngh!" she coughed, a bit of blood spurting from her mouth and landing on her shoulders. Her hand weakly went to brush my hair. No! She couldn't just leave us! What about Jin? What about Mikhail?

"LADY LORA! No! T… The orphanage! W-we promised to live as a f-family and build one! You promised! WE PROMISED! I..." My vision started to blur. I couldn't see anything. My body ached all over and I cradled her close. I refuse to forget all of this! Our time together! "H-He.. My Lady! I CAN'T! Don't do this..." My arms shook on their own, trying so hard to wake her. Her chest heaving and dropping was the only sign that she still lived. But I could feel it. My body lighten up, starting to return to my crystal... No! I hate this!

I dropped my head down to her neck, sobbing violently as my tears mixed with the blood there. I didn't wanna die and forget... I... Maybe... My mind flashed back to Minoth. Flesh eater... Live without a driver... No loss of memories… "My Lady... I won't forget you. I refuse to. I want... I WANT YOU TO BE MY LADY FOREVER!'" I burrowed my face deeper into her shoulder, crying my eyes out like nothing else. My hand landed on her stomach. On her gaping wound. The reminder of my failures as a healer. I... Maybe I could just...

I grabbed something.

I don't know what it was.

I ate it.

It tasted terrible. My body twitched and felt like it was burning up. But I was no longer returning to my crystal. I cried out in pain as I felt my body compress and pulsate with a new sensation. Something was beating in my chest. In the corner of my eye I watched my ether ribbons slowly turn red. Soon my core shone a deep crimson color, the cavern illuminated eerily by it. The smell of blood was overpowering.

"Over there! There is the tornan wench!"

Wench... Were they insulting My Lady? This wouldn't do.

I got up from where I was kneeling. This beating sensation in my chest felt so weird. It was so loud, roaring in my ears. But I felt so alive. I looked to the entrance to see the monks from before. They were the ones who attacked us. I have every right to attack them. Yes. Yes I do. Lady Lora would of wanted this. They crushed her dreams. Why should they get a good life for crushing ours? I summoned my cross, the blue energy around it now a deep red. I ran at the monks.

"F… Flesh eat-" I smacked him in the face with my cross. Another tried to strike me, but I blew him away with a gust of wind and right into a tree. The last one took a few steps back as I walked up to him, a menacing look in my eyes. But I didn't care. Not after what they had done. I focused my ether energy and shot out a horizontal tornado, trees flying off with him.

The downpour on my face made it difficult to see. Its steady rhythm eased me as the beating in my chest grew a bit more calm. I looked back into the cave.

The corpse of my lady laid there. Unmoving. But… I had her with me now, right? Flesh eater… Yes. She was with me always now. Jin would forget her. But she was with me.

"You are My Lady. Forever now. And I will not let anyone take you from me. I will live on for us both. That's what you desire, right? My Lady?" I giggled. Good thing it was raining. Because I couldn't tell if I was crying tears of sadness or madness. But I didn't care.

Nothing mattered anymore.


End file.
